Fortified Food Startup is under management by Chicklabs, LLC, a private incubator located at Chapman University

ORANGE COUNTY, CA (August 17, 2015) IMMUNO GUM®, the first product designed to combine 6 key herbal ingredients to support the immune system in a delicious chewing gum, has raised $1.25 million in angel funding led by Tech Coast Angels, the largest angel investor group in the United States The investment will support Immuno Gum’s rapid domestic and international sales growth.

The company, founded by Terry O’Neil M.D., a Board Certified practicing Emergency Room physician, and a graduate of the Ivy League’s Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, has been under management of Chicklabs LLC, an incubator and accelerator with offices at Chapman University, since 2013. Chicklabs, LLC and Immuno Gum® are both led by Kirsten Mangers, who holds a duel role as CEO & President of both companies.

Founded in 2011, Immuno Gum® is currently sold online and in retail stores nationwide that include Raley’s, Giant Eagle, Vitamin World, 7-11, Sport Chalet, Drugstore.com, Amazon.com and on the company’s website, www.immuno-gum.com.

This “Gum with benefits®” is gluten free, non-GMO, sugar free, and is available with no artificial sweeteners. Each product has Dr. O’Neil’s patent-pending herbal blend that includes Vitamin C, Echinacea, and Zinc. The company also offers a Vitamin-only C gum with 220% of your daily-recommended C. Because it’s a gum, the ingredients coat the throat for superior efficacy – better than competing drink powders or nasal sprays. Immuno Gum® is sold in 5, 10 and 30-piece packs of Fresh Spearmint (no artificial sweeteners), Cool Mint, Juicy Citrus (Vitamin C only) and Bubble Gum (specially formulated for kids).

Representing the Irvine-based Tech Coast Angels as lead investor and Board member, Mr. Hans Imhoff said, “Fortified foods is an exploding category as consumers look to get more healthy-ingredients in their foods. We feel Immuno Gum belongs on par with Emergen-C and Airborne as well-managed companies that bring healthy products to consumers.”

The investment is the largest of its kind at Chapman University. Chicklabs’ unique business model invites entrepreneurs to its campus offices and launches businesses from within the campus environment.

“Chapman University and its Leatherby Center for Entrepreneurship are proud to support the efforts of Chicklabs as it brings real-world business management onto the campus, adding to our culture of success,” added Dean Reggie Gilyard of the Argyos School of Business and Economics.

About Chicklabs, LLC.
Chicklabs, LLC is a business incubator and accelerator with offices on the campus of Chapman University. With a special emphasis on “chicks” or, women-led organizations and products for the female demographic, we specialize in serving a wide variety of businesses, including tech, new media, consumer product goods, and products with new ways of solving old problems. We accelerate companies by applying mentor services and resources, including seed funding, sales and marketing support, legal assistance, public relations, and professional networking. For more information, visit www.chicklabsllc.com or call (714) 516-5509.

About Immuno Gum®
IMMUNO GUM® is a patent-pending immunity-support product in the form of chewing gum. It is the only product of its kind that features six key ingredients that have been uniquely formulated to give the immune system daily support. It is chewed daily, or at an increased frequency when extra support is needed, such as the on-set of a cold. The highly portable, “no water required” gum appeals to consumers on-the-go and includes Zinc, Vitamin C, Echinacea, Siberian Ginseng, Elderberry, and Astragalus. For more information visit www.immuno-gum.com or call (844) 258-2952

About Chapman University
Consistently ranked among the top universities in the West, Chapman University provides a uniquely personalized and interdisciplinary educational experience to highly qualified students. Our programs encourage innovation, creativity and collaboration, and focus on developing global citizen-leaders who are distinctively prepared to improve their community and their world.